Welcoming the Winter Solstice at Alice's Tea Cup

December 21st marked the winter solstice, and I welcomed it with a happy heart. "A forest greets a snowy evening. Year after year, the holly king passes the torch as it was intended," Tori Amos signs in Winter's Carol on Midwinter Graces, a sonic love letter to the season. The summer queen surrenders, as fate and the stars has written she must, but will make her return.

Cold, snowy days await, begging you to stay indoors, linger over a pot of tea or cup of cocoa, make a pot of soup, put on your flannel pajamas and your comfiest socks, read, watch a film, play a board game, go back to bed, dream. Snow play awaits: sled down a hill, make a snow angel or a snowman, or just marvel at the beauty of it all. The heat of summer demands the body rest and soul slow down, as does the brisk cold of winter. Keith Donohue, in his poetic Angels of Destruction (a great winter read), talked about the "endless nirvana of doing nothing at all" that summer offers. The same can be said of winter days and nights. For this, I celebrate.

I gave a proper welcome to winter at New York City's Alice's Tea Cup. Whimsical costumes for the youngest of tea drinkers to get in touch with her inner princess or fairy.

A miniature version of their Alice in Wonderland set for playful tea times at home. A potential guest list: any mix of children, adults, teddy bears and dolls.

For the adult party: a pot of herbal chai (roobis, or red, tea with cinnamon, ginger and anise), with soy milk, $6.

Half a soup and half a salad is $13. Warm pear and belgian endive salad, with watercress, caramelized onions, and port vinaigrette, hold the stilton cheese.

I was told there's always one vegan soup of the day. Today's: carrot, served with a roll with basil.

Blackberry Cabernet sorbet, $6, to end the enchanting meal. No vegan scones or cookies were available that day - they were sold out.

Flashback to the winter solstice tea party at Alice's Tea cup last year, and my Valentine's party there.

Valentine's Tea Party

We had such fun at our winter solstice tea party, my friends and I decided the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday was the perfect excuse to celebrate love - of tea, great conversation, and friendship. So with warm hearts (and hungry stomachs), we returned to Alice's Tea Cup.

Tea for two?

Take a peek inside the table. Hands up all who are excited for the Alice in Wonderland movie with Johnny Depp. Mine's raised high.

They were out of my first pick, French lavender Earl Grey, but for a Valentine's party, tea with rose petals seemed like an even more fitting choice. For a pot, $6.

Roasted cumin carrots and olive tapenade on semolina with black sesame seeds, with a side salad in a yummy sweet ginger dressing. I held the goat cheese. Always check your bill. I was charged $10, not $9 listed on the menu, and had them correct it.

Vegan mixed berry scone, $3. So good! I took half of it home for breakfast. The waitress said their preserves have gelatin, making it un-vegan friendly.

Other vegan dessert options included a vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, $3.50, and lemon or blackberry cabernet sorbet, $7. Both pricey. I had a taste of my friend's black cab sorbet and it was heavenly. Could it be the Ciao Bella variety?

Visit Alice's Tea Cup, 102 W 73rd St. (between Amsterdam Ave. and Columbus Ave.), New York City.

Cheers to the Season

It's winter! Let's celebrate the winter solstice over a piping hot pot of tea.


How does Alice's Tea Cup sound?

A pot of organic ginger orange peach tea, $6. Lavender Earl Grey was a close runner up. Soy milk is available here. I adore drinking tea out of a charming cup. This one almost rivals Hyacinth Bucket's Royal Doulton with the hand painted periwinkles!

A hummus sandwich served with greens, $8. You can do half a sandwich and soup for $13. That night's vegan variety, black bean.

Vegan scones! Other vegan varieties included vegetable and blueberry oatmeal, $3 each.

Just mind their nice dishes, you don't want to be as jittery as poor Elizabeth.


Visit Alice's Tea Cup, 102 W 73rd St. (between Amsterdam Ave. and Columbus Ave.), New York City. Nearby: Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History, and the New York Historical Society. Traveling in NYC? HopStop gets you around town.

Happy Winter!